Knowing it by heart

On a recent Sunday morning, I was invited to a pizza party with our third grade Sunday School class, hosted by their brilliant teachers, Debbie Shaw and Tim Pavlovich. Being old-school in my dietary selections, I had never before eaten pizza before lunchtime, although of course I’d heard many accounts of pizza for breakfast from others. Now I’m a believer—I learned that pizza works great for brunch—and probably for breakfast, too.

The pizza party was not a regular occurrence, as indicated by the excitement and anticipation of the sixteen children crowded around tables in their classroom, bright with all kinds of posters and pictures. The event was a celebration of their latest achievement in the Bible study that is the center of their curriculum. They had memorized the names of the books of the New Testament, in order, and had invited me to come and hear their recitation. They reeled them off in rapid-fire succession, at the tops of their voices. There was maybe a little stumbling over Galatians and Ephesians”, but they came back strong for Philippians,and Colossians, without the slightest hesitation over First and Second Thessalonians. They soared on to a triumphant conclusion: “First John, Second John, Third John, Jude, Revelation!” (And the exclamation point was absolutely audible!)

After a little discussion about using their Bibles (presented to them in a worship service in September), we enjoyed the pizza together. Next on the morning's schedule was decorating gingerbread houses to be taken to the Children’s Hospital.

That session had all the elements needed not just for a worthwhile class session, but for remembering what it means to be United Methodist. There was food, there was study, there was service to others.

The children had used their minds (and who knows how many memory aids suggested by those creative teachers) to memorize that formidable list of twenty-seven books, many with strange-sounding names. Some might ask why that was necessary—after all, every Bible has a table of contents. But in that classroom, in that setting, where every child is more than welcome, where every child is loved and appreciated and encouraged, the boys and girls were not just memorizing that information—they were learning it “by heart.” They know the list by heart, and they know more—they know that their church is a community of love and learning and service.

We all know lots of stuff, stored for accessibility in various parts of our brains. I’ve forgotten a whole lot of stuff that I put in my mind a long time ago (and not so long ago!), but there are some things I know by heart, and I don’t forget them. I know I am a beloved child of God, called to use every resource entrusted to me in faithful response to that love, and I never know that more clearly than when I’m with the people of this church.

Those third graders may not always remember the order of the books of the New Testament, as their minds get full of other valuable information. But they will never forget what they know by heart. I’m so grateful for these teachers and all the others in our church who know and teach from their hearts!